


Mary Resurrects Lucretia

by Tendergingergirl



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-10-13 05:17:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17481926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tendergingergirl/pseuds/Tendergingergirl
Summary: November 13, 2017This meta explores the correlations between Mary, theorized as the Black Pearl, in S4, and Lucretia in The Six Napoleons. As it turns out, the Lucretia is based off of a legendary story of notorious woman, who was also a black pearl, of sorts.This theory, I feel has been strengthened by my recent piece, Aurora's Feather. if correct, Mary is based on a character from a popular classic play, who is related to a pearl.





	Mary Resurrects Lucretia

 

On tales of Vengeance, Political Intrigue, Masks, Images, and Imagery. Part.1

In The Adventures of The Six Napoleons, the sister, Lucretia hid the Black Pearl of The Borgias inside the statue. The Six Napoleons involves themes of International Crime, murder, and intrigue. It is an ode to the Mafia, and actually includes the names of several real people from the stories of the Borgias family history. It can also be argued that Lucretia was the Pearl.

  
 Lucretia Borgia(1480-1519) was the daughter of Pope Alexander VI and Vannozza dei Cattanei. She learned to be quite the Renaissance woman, running the households of her various marriages, having many children, and assisting in Vatican business. She became known as a brilliant patron of the arts. "The biggest testament is her capability in administration, as later on in life she would take care of Vatican City correspondence and governance of Ferrara.“ But rumors persisted about the Borgias, including “allegations of incest, poisoning, and murder.”

Political Pawn or Machiavellian Villain? Lucretia was famed as a Black Widow, known for easily luring men to her bed They didn’t always survive the experience. The Borgias were one of the first Mafia-style families, and Lucretia’s preferred technique was Foxglove poison, kept in a ring on her finger. She also was rumored to have had a child with a secret lover. Supposedly, the child was legitimized as her father’s or brother’s, but none of this was ever confirmed. Most of this is denied by modern historians, who say the rumors were started by her enemies. No one ever knew how deeply involved she was in the family business. She was the ultimate portrait of a femme fatale. She became involved with poet and writer, Pietro Bembo (sometime, after 1503). ”Bembo had what is surely one of the richest careers of the Italian Renaissance, living in the Florence of Lorenzo the Magnificent, the Venice of Aldus, and the Rome of Leo X. Portrayed in youth by Bellini, and in old age by Titian, having known Raphael, Vittoria Colonna, Politian, Erasmus and Pietro Aretino; writer of two famous treatises and the best Petrarchan verse of the 16th century; ending his career with the honors of bishop and cardinal.“ The lovers wrote beautiful letters to each other, later read by Lord Byron in Milan, who commented that he had read “the prettiest love letters in the world.” Byron also decided to ‘borrow’ a strand of Lucretia’s hair, attached to the letter. Chevalier Baynard, famous French soldier called her “A pearl among women.” Lucretia also loved to wear pearls. See @cheuwing’s marys-jewels-and-bag-in-the-confrontation-scene.

This painting, Sacred and Profane Love, by Titian has come to be seen as representing the paradoxical nature of Lucretia; sacred or profane, carnal or heavenly love. Also, according to Wikipedia _“…it has been suggested that the Renaissance humanist scholar Cardinal Pietro Bembo, or a similar figure, may have devised the allegorical scheme.”_ It shows to the left, a woman dressed as a Bride. The figure on the right is Venus. There are also several rabbits featured. The coloring is interesting in itself. There are other interpretations that include the dual nature of Venus. Incidentally, did you know that her child, Cupid, seen in the center was known as _Cupid The Honey Thief?_

**Cupid and the bees**

_“In the tale of Cupid the honey thief, the child-god is stung by bees when he steals honey from their hive. He cries and runs to his mother Venus, complaining that so small a creature shouldn’t cause such painful wounds. Venus laughs, and points out the poetic justice: he too is small, and yet delivers the sting of love…_ _The story was first told about Eros in the Idylls of_ _Theocritus_ _(3rd century BC). It was retold numerous times in both art and poetry during the Renaissance…In a version by_ _Gotthold Ephraim Lessing_ _, a writer of the_ _German Enlightenment_ _, the incident prompts Cupid to turn himself into a bee:_

_Cupid With A Honeycomb and Venus_

**Through this sting was Amor made wiser.  
The untiring deceiver  
concocted another battle-plan:  
he lurked beneath the carnations and roses  
and when a maiden came to pick them,  
he flew out as a bee and stung her**.

_The image of Cupid as bee is part of a complex tradition of poetic imagery involving the flower of youth, the sting of love as a deflowering, and honey as a secretion of love.”_

Lucretia, herself is said to have been named after the famous Lucretia, an ancient Roman woman whose fate played a vital role in the transition of Roman government from the Roman Kingdom to the Roman Republic; that her suicide after being raped by an Etruscan king’s son was the immediate cause of the anti-monarchist rebellion that overthrew the monarchy. _So in short, her ghost came back to haunt her enemies._  

Samuel Rosenberg, himself, states in **Naked Is The Best Disguise** , that the Holmes stories contained ACD’s innermost thoughts, using very real figures from history. I believe it can be theorized that in BBC Sherlock, Mary, who also represents Heteronormativity in our story, was married to the tales of the Lucretias; the black widow and the avenging presence, and became the Black Pearl, inside of the image. Many meta already point to her as the Pearl, but the basis of her narrative has been more of a mystery. We have been dealing with some of the same questions, regarding Mary, as was done with Lucretia. Is she good or bad? A Pawn…or acting very much alone? Martyr or Avenging Ghost?Now, about that Napoleon image…

* * *

 

Footnote* It’s odd because this isn’t the first time Rosie is hinted at as a gift of Love between Sherlock and John, metaphorially. It seemed to be alluded to in the  [59-the-cycle-of-life](https://tendergingergirl.tumblr.com/post/165311444496/59-the-cycle-of-life) meta, which is about Birth. The conversation led to the possibility of Sherlock having ‘wished’ her into being for John, out of the love he felt in TSOT. And remember this? 

  
 

 

 

 

There is also this meta [marys-wedding-bouquet-john-and-sherlocks](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fmarys-wedding-bouquet-john-and-sherlocks&t=NTBmYjUyMjE4Mjk0OWYzMDViZWMwMmZiMTA3YzIyN2IwY2MwMzc2NCw1VHZuZU5lcA%3D%3D&b=t%3A99US-dd59KEFK-T_oX2E5Q&p=https%3A%2F%2Ftendergingergirl.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F167511109326%2Fmary-resurrects-lucretia&m=1) from [@cheuwing](https://tmblr.co/mLrVsnyDSzMAqBg8gcWMSZA), showing Sherlock with a Sweetheart Rose (Dear, Darling, Honey, Sweetheart) in his boutonniere.                                                                 

Lucretia Venucci, the sister is Lucretia Borgia. Pietro Venucci, is one or two people. Pietro Bembo was one of her lovers, but a Pietro (Perugino) Vanucci was one of the painters of the Sistine Chapel, built by Pope Sixtus VI. As for Beppo, the thief in the Six Napoleons, I have yet to find a living Beppo. I did however find a lengthy poem, written by Lord Byron…our same Byron who fanboyed so hard for Lucretia Borgia, that he legit stole a strand of her hair from a museum.

_**"Beppo, A Venetian Story**_ , _written in 1817, is the story of a_[ _Venetian_](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FVenice&t=YTMwM2Q2ZTNjOGQ5OTViMTFmNjk1ZDZmNDZjODA4Y2VlODQ4Yzg1NSw1VHZuZU5lcA%3D%3D&b=t%3A99US-dd59KEFK-T_oX2E5Q&p=https%3A%2F%2Ftendergingergirl.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F167511109326%2Fmary-resurrects-lucretia&m=1) _lady, Laura, whose husband, Giuseppe (or "Beppo” for short), has been lost at sea for the past three years. According to Venetian customs she takes on a_[ _Cavalier Servente_](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FCicisbeo&t=Nzg4Yzg1YWQ3ZjNiNDU4NzhiOThiNWVlNTI3NmJjN2ZiY2JjZDNiYSw1VHZuZU5lcA%3D%3D&b=t%3A99US-dd59KEFK-T_oX2E5Q&p=https%3A%2F%2Ftendergingergirl.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F167511109326%2Fmary-resurrects-lucretia&m=1) _, simply called “the Count”. When the two of them attend the_[ _Venetian Carnival_](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FCarnival_of_Venice&t=NDJiZmQ3ODNhNWM4NjA2OGE3NjZhZjY3ZmQ4MDk4YTczYzJiMGFkOSw1VHZuZU5lcA%3D%3D&b=t%3A99US-dd59KEFK-T_oX2E5Q&p=https%3A%2F%2Ftendergingergirl.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F167511109326%2Fmary-resurrects-lucretia&m=1) _, she is closely observed by a_[ _Turk_](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FTurkic_peoples&t=OTdjYTljYTcwNWJiYzEwNjNhYjg4MDQ5ZTEwYmM4Nzc3NGQ1NzQyMCw1VHZuZU5lcA%3D%3D&b=t%3A99US-dd59KEFK-T_oX2E5Q&p=https%3A%2F%2Ftendergingergirl.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F167511109326%2Fmary-resurrects-lucretia&m=1) _who turns out to be her missing husband. Beppo explains that he has been captured and enslaved, and was freed by a band of_[ _pirates_](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FPirate&t=YzRmMzdlZGUyZjUxYmI3NGFkODdjMDQwOGRlMzY5YjczOTNiY2UyNCw1VHZuZU5lcA%3D%3D&b=t%3A99US-dd59KEFK-T_oX2E5Q&p=https%3A%2F%2Ftendergingergirl.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F167511109326%2Fmary-resurrects-lucretia&m=1) _that he subsequently joined. Having accumulated enough money he left piracy and returned to reclaim his wife and be_[ _re-baptized_](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FBaptism&t=ZWI3YzFhZjQxNzVhYThlYTA4ODZkYTM2OWY5NTNiMWY0MWJhZjQyNyw1VHZuZU5lcA%3D%3D&b=t%3A99US-dd59KEFK-T_oX2E5Q&p=https%3A%2F%2Ftendergingergirl.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F167511109326%2Fmary-resurrects-lucretia&m=1) _. Laura rejoins Beppo and befriends the Count.“_

**_Now, am I crazy, or is that not the basic premise for The Princess Bride?!_ **

There is more. About Beppo: "The poem’s main merit lies in its comparison of English and Italian morals, and is written in satire form.

About The Princess Bride: It is set in a fictional Renaissance-era Italy, and originally was a satire of the excesses of European royalty. There is also a Turk in both stories.

 

1.LB. [X](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FLucrezia_Borgia&t=MWExZmRlMWZkYzdjZGUwNThlN2IxZGQxNmJmZGJkZjY3OGM1N2JjOCw1VHZuZU5lcA%3D%3D&b=t%3A99US-dd59KEFK-T_oX2E5Q&p=https%3A%2F%2Ftendergingergirl.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F167511109326%2Fmary-resurrects-lucretia&m=1)  2.[ X](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fthiswritelife.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2F28%2Fa-strand-of-hair-through-history%2F&t=NzJjOTNhODY1MzU5MmZjNjc5NmZjM2M3MmVhNGZjNDM0NmM4OTkxYiw1VHZuZU5lcA%3D%3D&b=t%3A99US-dd59KEFK-T_oX2E5Q&p=https%3A%2F%2Ftendergingergirl.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F167511109326%2Fmary-resurrects-lucretia&m=1) 3.X 4.[X](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fnewwindow%3D1%26ei%3D3BUFWuGVGIKB0wLA-qCgAQ%26q%3DThe%2BSecret%2BMarriage%2Bof%2BSherlock%2BHolmes%2Band%2BOther%2BEccentric%2BReadings%26oq%3DThe%2BSecret%2BMarriage%2Bof%2BSherlock%2BHolmes%2Band%2BOther%2BEccentric%2BReadings%26gs_l%3Dpsy-ab.3..0i22i30k1.1911508.1921014.0.1922505.43.12.0.0.0.0.342.1268.0j5j1j1.8.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..40.3.856.6..35i39k1.338.zO6M8DJv-fY&t=ODVhZmYwNDg2MjNlODcxY2YzYjAxNjg0MWJiM2MxM2M4OGI1ZGNmYiw1VHZuZU5lcA%3D%3D&b=t%3A99US-dd59KEFK-T_oX2E5Q&p=https%3A%2F%2Ftendergingergirl.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F167511109326%2Fmary-resurrects-lucretia&m=1) 5.[X](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FIconoclasm&t=NDJjZjVkZDhiNGUyOTU4OTc3ZWZlNjk3Yzk1ODgxYjk5OTJhNDNkOCw1VHZuZU5lcA%3D%3D&b=t%3A99US-dd59KEFK-T_oX2E5Q&p=https%3A%2F%2Ftendergingergirl.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F167511109326%2Fmary-resurrects-lucretia&m=1) 6.[X](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ldmstudios.com%2Flucretiasdaggers.com%2Fintro_pages%2Fborgia_lucretia.html&t=ZDA0Njc4NTQ2NTMyY2I3NGE1ZWU4NGQ0Y2Y0Yzk2YTlmZTNjNGEzOCw1VHZuZU5lcA%3D%3D&b=t%3A99US-dd59KEFK-T_oX2E5Q&p=https%3A%2F%2Ftendergingergirl.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F167511109326%2Fmary-resurrects-lucretia&m=1) 7.[X](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FCupid&t=MDIxMjMxMGI2MjJkMzI4NzZjYTFkNmM5MzBhNGQ0MjIyZjVhODY2Ziw1VHZuZU5lcA%3D%3D&b=t%3A99US-dd59KEFK-T_oX2E5Q&p=https%3A%2F%2Ftendergingergirl.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F167511109326%2Fmary-resurrects-lucretia&m=1) 8.[X](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FLucretia&t=ZDhhZTI3NzM2N2I0ZWQxYTgxZDZkMTdmZmVlYzBjNjIyM2E0OGUyYiw1VHZuZU5lcA%3D%3D&b=t%3A99US-dd59KEFK-T_oX2E5Q&p=https%3A%2F%2Ftendergingergirl.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F167511109326%2Fmary-resurrects-lucretia&m=1)


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